Ernest Borges

Ernest Joachim Joseph Borges was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1909 to Cajetan Francis Borges and Inez de Nazaré. The family was from Ucassaim, Goa. Borges received his early education at St. Teresa's High School in Girgaon and later attended St. Xavier's High School and College in Dhobitalao. He pursued his medical degree (MBBS) from Grant Medical College and furthered his studies by obtaining an MS degree with distinction from the University of Bombay. He went on to pursue a Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) in England. He was trained at Memorial Hospital in New York. == Career ==

Borges joined Tata Memorial Hospital in Bombay, where he served as a chief surgeon for nearly three decades. His expertise in esophageal cancer surgery, particularly noteworthy during a time when few dared to undertake such procedures, earned him acclaim both nationally and internationally. He was instrumental in establishing Tata Memorial Hospital as a premier institution for cancer treatment in India. He was closely associated with the Catholic Church. He served as president for three terms at the St. Luke's Medical Guild, an organization of Catholic medical professionals established by the then Archbishop of Bombay. He served as the President of the Indian Federation of Catholic Medical Guilds since 1964. He was also elected as the vice president of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations in 1966. == Personal life ==

Borges married Gracie Soares on 27 April 1946. The couple had six children, however, one of their daughters survived for only one day. In 1964, he and his wife had a private audience with Pope Paul VI when the Pope visited India for the Eucharistic congress. ==Death==

Borges died of cancer == Awards and recognition ==

In 1966, he was honored with the Padma Shri by the President of India, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, in recognition of his contributions to the field of medicine. He received the Knighthood of the Order of St. Gregory the Great from the Pope and was also honored with the Order of the Privy Chamberlain, Cape, and Sword for his dedicated service to suffering humanity. He was the recipient of the Charles Morehead Prize in Clinical Medicine. The Goa Branch of the Indian Cancer Society released cancer seals/stamps featuring his photo on September 7, 1971, commemorating Ernest's birth anniversary. == Legacy ==

Borges was also a philanthropist, and he established ''Ernest's Ark: The Dr. Ernest Borges Memorial Home'' in Mumbai, which provides care and support to cancer patients and their families. Roads named after him include Dr. Ernest Borges Road in front of Tata Memorial Hospital in Parel, Mumbai, as well as roads in Dona Paula and Ucassaim, Goa. == See also ==